


My Deer

by clarkjoekent



Series: Shikaku Week 2020 [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Shikaku said I love Yoshino with his whole chest, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25235029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarkjoekent/pseuds/clarkjoekent
Summary: Shikaku falls in love with Yoshino during a brutal spar in the Academy field. Yoshino gets worried, years later when he takes her to a private place in the Nara forest.Shikaku Week Day 4 - Prompt: Romance
Relationships: Nara Shikaku/Nara Yoshino
Series: Shikaku Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813600
Kudos: 30
Collections: Shikaku Week 2020





	My Deer

**Author's Note:**

> Day FOUR! Of course I had to write the HC I had for the moment Shikaku fell in love.

"Today we are going to practice sparring."

All of the kids in the classroom groaned. Not too pleased to actually do more than play outside. Give or take a few kids. Fugaku and  Hiashi looked elated to finally get the chance to sink their teeth into an opponent.

Shikaku however was asleep. He despised all forms of hand to hand combat and would prefer to just use his head. Much to his father's relief.

"Nara! Wake up!" Kenta-sensei yelled from his spot in front of the classroom.

Shikaku mumbled and sat up, noticing the kids all filing out. Mostly just Yoshino. She was busy talking to the new girl and Mikoto.

"Sparring time Shikaku." Choza smiled and lightly shoved Shikaku out of his seat.

"I don't want to spar today." Shikaku yawned and followed his friend down to the front of the classroom. They wandered out onto the Academy field and waited to be paired up.

"Don't you want to show off in front of your crush." Inoichi stuck his tongue out, thrilled to tease his best friend.

"I don’t have to show off like some hard headed male. I can get her in other ways. Like how dad got mom." Shikaku huffed. Shikakuro took his future wife Ami out into the Nara forest and showed her how he took care of animals. She would later tell Shikaku that it was his gentleness that sold her.

"Lame." Inoichi rolled his eyes and watched the group of kunoichi that hovered near Fugaku. "Uchiha is going to get her and you will be so sad."

"Shut up."

"Guys be quiet I can't hear who we are getting assigned to." Choza poked both his friends in the forehead. Kenta-sensei put Shikaku up against Hiashi.

"I haven't seen you improve your taijutsu Shikaku." The Academy teacher couldn't dodge the poison glare Shikaku shot at him.

They took the starting stance, Hiashi had a big grin on his face.

"I don't think this will be a long spar." Hiashi sneered.

"Fuck you." Normally Shikaku would have a good comeback but Hisahi wasn't worth the brain power.

"Language Shikaku. No chakra Hiashi. Start!"

Hiashi lunged, trying to get Shikaku knocked out in the first few seconds. Shikaku was already 60 steps ahead of the Hyuuga. A few quick dodges and Hiashi slipped and fell on his face, defeated without Shikaku laying a single hand on him.

"You didn't spar Shikaku, you just dodged." Kenta was already down the Nara's throat.

"I beat him didn't I?"

"Well, technically yes."

"There you go." Shikaku walked past the teacher, hands in his pockets, already thinking about the nap he's going to take later. He heard a giggle somewhere nearby and he pinned it on Yoshino. Her bright smile almost caused Shikaku to miss his footing and fall just like Hiashi.

"You are lovesick." Choza shook his head, humor in his voice.

"Yeah, whatever. You're next. Kick Inoichi's teeth out for me." Shikaku threw a glare at the snickering Yamanaka.

"I'll try."

While everyone was going through their spars, Shikaku laid back and watched as Yoshino and her two friends inched closer.

"I liked the way you dodged." Yoshino giggled, her eyes were shining. Shikaku swallowed down his fear and smiled.

"Thanks." He didn't really know how to respond.

"Do you even know how to fight?" The new girl frowned. Her red hair attracted Minato - the number one fighter in the class. Kushina.

"I do but my father taught me brains over brawn. I'm the top in the school for a reason." Shikaku rolled his eyes. He was tired of the same conversations.

"Well it would be cool to one day see them." Yoshino smiled back.

"My brains?"

"Yeah." She may have just threatened his life. Before he could ask to clarify she was called to fight next.

Yoshino was to fight Minato.

"She's going to get destroyed. What was Kenta-sensei thinking?" Shikaku watched them step into the starting stance, there was determination in Yoshino's eyes.

"Grow up, she's better than Minato." Mikoto snapped back.

"Liar, she's good but not as good as Minato." Kushina smiled at her crush.

Shikaku looked on in horror as Minato went right for Yoshino's throat. She dodged and swept her leg out, tripping the boy up. He caught himself and tried to attack again. She expertly dodged and countered each attack.

The Nara's expression changed and he stood up to get a better look. Yoshino was so graceful until she rammed Minato in his chest with her shoulder, grabbing his arm at the same time, and flipping him over onto his back.

Minato tapped out. He didn't look upset though. Just winded. They shook hands and Minato hobbled back to his spot in the class. 

Shikaku caught himself cheering with everyone else. Yoshino walked back to her friends, out of breath but happy.

"Told you." Mikoto whispered to Shikaku.

"You did great!" Shikaku smiled, ignoring the glares from Fugaku and Hiashi.

"I know." Yoshino dusted off her pants and accepted a drink from Kushina. She had a second one for Minato.

"When you said you wanted to see my brains, did you mean physically?" Shikaku didn't care if she wanted to beat him up. He'd let her.

Yoshino blinked and then laughed, registering the question. "No, goofball. I wanted to play shogi with you. I see you playing all the time with Inoichi and Choza. I'm not good but I'd like to get better." She was still laughing as she explained her intention.

Shikaku blushed and nodded. "Okay. We can play whenever. I have a travel set but my dad got me a good set for my birthday, if you want to come over."

"Sure. Sounds like a date!" Yoshino waved and walked away, following a worried Kushina to see if Minato is okay.

"I'm going to marry her." Shikaku meant to keep that to himself.

"I can't wait to be invited to the wedding." Choza said from behind Shikaku, startling him.

"Me too." Inoichi chimed in.

"Bold of you to assume you are invited Yamanaka."

"If you want flowers, I will be."

"I don't need flowers. I have the whole forest."

"Guys please."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Yoshino stomped after Shikaku, her hand in his. He was walking faster than usual and she was worried they were breaking up. After 10 years of dating she hoped he would drop the question but from the look on his face it was probably the opposite.

"Just wait, you'll see." There still wasn't any inflection in his voice. The more Yoshino thought about it the more she realized if he was going to break up with her, he'd do it on her porch so he could run and avoid her crying. He hated seeing her cry. The amount of times he's done things he's hated just so she wouldn't cry. 

They've only broken up twice. Once when Shikaku's parents died and he said he couldn't balance his new duties being the Nara clan head, the Jonin Commander, and her.

She understood and waited until he could get a grasp of things again.

The second time he was scared he was going to die on a mission and he didn't want her to wait up on him. He was missing for 6 months before he came back home, bruised and broken. He refused to talk to anyone except the Hokage.

She spent weeks taking care of his wounds and helping him mentally come back from the worst mission he ever went on. He still hasn't told her what happened.

Both times he broke up with her, he did it in a place he could easily run from.

They ran into the Nara forest until Shikaku stopped abruptly. Yoshino ran right into his back.

"Ow, Shikaku! Warn me next time." She looked up at Shikaku.

He locked eyes with her and smiled, it was so sweet and soft, she gasped. He tugged her closer to him and kissed her forehead.

"Remember that spot I was telling you about? The one with the hollowed out tree?"

"Yeah?" He wanted to show the insides of the Nara trees, the oldest ones were carved out to make shelters for the Nara clan when they were first asked to join Hashirama and Madara into Konoha. Some trees had openings to hidden passages underground. She was petrified to go and investigate but Shikaku's eyes light up every time he talks about it.

"I wanted to show them to you today but." Shikaku stopped and pointed at the nearest tree. The tree itself was massive, the tall dark bark was cracked and split. The branches held full dark green leaves, but allowed sunlight in. The entrance to the hollowed out tree was lit up by the mid-afternoon sun. Inside the tree was another story.

A sleeping doe and her fawn were occupying the tree.

"Look at how small!" Yoshino wanted to walk closer but she waited until Shikaku pulled her towards the doe and her baby. 

"They let me feed them this morning. The stag is out running. I spotted him earlier." He got on his knees and made a noise. The doe woke up, as if she was waiting for him to return. Yoshino joined Shikaku on the ground, waiting her turn to love the doe. She let Shikaku pet her and then Yoshino.

"I'd take this over creepy passages any day." Yoshino said, giggling when Shikaku scoffed, his smile never breaking. 

"Inoichi and I went through them all and cleaned them out a week ago. They aren't creepy. Dark maybe but far from creepy." He chuckled. Yoshino loved that sound. It was a deep rumble that she could feel when he let her rest her head on his chest, or when he was giving her a hug that she could melt into.

"Still. I love this."

"Me too, really." Shikaku stood up from his crouch and held his hand out to help Yoshino up. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard, he gently bit her bottom lip and it made Yoshino's stomach flip.

He was holding her up against him, letting the calming sounds of the forest and the summer breeze engulf them.

"I love you, Yoshino." He moved a piece of hair that was blown into her face, and placed it behind her ear. "From the moment you took Minato out, I knew I wanted to marry you."

Yoshino's face went red, her thoughts were the same. "You pushed Fugaku into a mud puddle because he made fun of my face. You pulled it off like it was an accident but I knew you had heard what he said."

"I also knew that if I didn't push him you would've broken his nose." He laughed, Yoshino squeezed his sides.

"I didn't but it was the thought that counted." Yoshino smiled up at her boyfriend.

"You are avoiding the question." A slight blush covered Shikaku's cheeks. She hasn't seen that look since she first beat him at shogi.

"What question?"

"Will you marry me?" Shikaku asked, his voice a low rumble.

Yoshino beamed and threw her arms around his neck. "Yes of course, you goofball."

"My love. My Yoshino." He returned her hug with the same enthusiasm. 


End file.
